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Pulling manes: the forelock!

I've tried to do some research, but it seems like there's different opinions!

I like to keep my mare's mane pretty short in the summer, but she looks SUPER goofy if her forelock is too short. I did that last spring when I was showing (eventing) a lot, but she was braided so it didn't matter what she looked like during the week.

How long should the forelock be, in general, and in comparison to the mane??

However long you want it to be. I usually don't pull the forelock unless it becomes unmanageable to braid. If I'm not braiding I don't pull it until it starts to annoy me in some way. There's no rule, just personal preference.

However, if the forelock is so thick, and it causes heat issues, then pull it. But a simple bridle path should help on that. I do know one paso who has too thick mane, bridle path and it does cause the paso heat issues. Too much heat on her head, yes really. But owner won't do anything. A little bridle path the width of a clipper blade would help.

For endurance riding here in da south we braid manes, and forelocks. Helps keep them cooler. And still we can have a long head of hair on the horse afterwards. Might have to grab mane during rides, so longer is a good thing.

oh I never pull the forelock!! The fluffier the better!
In fact I usually give my horses a toupee! by using some of the mane as forelock as well and making the bridle path really small and well behind the ears.

Fluffy forelocks are the best. My new horse has a HUGE forelock. I have to braid it up when I ride because he hates it when it tickles his ears.

I will use clipper blades on the very longest, stringy bits of forelock that hang down over/into the eyes if its on a horse with a long but thin forelock. I think it gets rid of those stringy, sunbleached ends and makes forelocks look thicker. I never touch anything shorter than eye level and would never actually PULL hairs out - just "trimming" with clipper blades.

My first horse would grown a really thick, long forelock - down to her nostrils if left alone. For her, I did pull it to make it more attractive. I would pull it to be a bit above the line of the eyes and would give it a bit of a curved/rounded look. For other horses of mine I've had to do the horsey "comb over", cheating a bit on where I start the bridlepath so I could add a bit of thickness to an otherwise skimpy forelock.

Hers looks great to me, so I'll leave it alone. I'm sure she'd prefer that anyway.

Finally got her mane under control. She was less than pleased about that one. Can't move to a new boarding stable looking homeless though! She'll get the rest of the spa treatment on Friday before we move on Saturday.